I didn't experience loosing my mucus plug last time as I started labor with my waters breaking. I can't believe just how much mucus there is inside me. I've been loosing chunks since yesterday morning, and I mean big globs of the stuff, and still there seems to be a constant supply of the stuff. We really thought labor started last night, but after several hours it stopped (again) and nothing since. I really, really hope this baby comes by tomorrow because this start/stop nonsense is driving me crazy, not to mention robbing me of sleep.

I'm still here, too! I was really, really down yesterday -- better so far today. I comforted myself by reading some interesting studies on due dates and how off-kilter the classic dating mechanism is. I have almost successfully convinced myself that I'm actually only a day or so past 40 weeks at the moment, and that it's OK to go to 42 weeks. Mostly when I freak out it's because (1) I fear placenta degeneration (there were a couple of little calcified spots on my 39-week ultrasound, but nothing major, and (2) I really, really am committed to my homebirth and do NOT want to have to go to a hospital to be induced because stupid MA state law requires that at 42 weeks.

So, yeah, still here. I have almost constant BH when I move around, but that's about it.

I was so convinced this would be a Labor Day baby, and its almost 4pm and no sign of anything happening.

I think I might have finally finished shedding my mucus plug though, after 3 days of almost constant mucus clumps. I had no idea there would be so much of that stuff. I'm 40+6 today, and pretty sure of my dates being accurate. Fortunately my CNM doesn't have a 42 week restriction or a 24 hr restriction for waters breaking, so I'm good to go for as long as the baby does, although I'll have to do a biophysical profile by the end of this week if the baby still isn't born by then. I'm also seriously contemplating the castor oil milkshake this coming weekend if I'm still pregnant. Since I'm HBACing I really, really don't want to get beyond 42 weeks.

Lynann, Can you tell me by any chance what restrictions your midwife does have? I'm on the other coast of FL & hit 42 weeks tomorrow & it sounds like I get transfered at 42+2 because of "State Law" which of course I can't find the actual laws for.... and she's super strict about the 24 hour water breaking "rule" too.

I was so convinced this would be a Labor Day baby, and its almost 4pm and no sign of anything happening.

I think I might have finally finished shedding my mucus plug though, after 3 days of almost constant mucus clumps. I had no idea there would be so much of that stuff. I'm 40+6 today, and pretty sure of my dates being accurate. Fortunately my CNM doesn't have a 42 week restriction or a 24 hr restriction for waters breaking, so I'm good to go for as long as the baby does, although I'll have to do a biophysical profile by the end of this week if the baby still isn't born by then. I'm also seriously contemplating the castor oil milkshake this coming weekend if I'm still pregnant. Since I'm HBACing I really, really don't want to get beyond 42 weeks.

Hopefully something will happen soon.

The castor oil shake worked wonders for me. I'd go for it if you feel like you and the babe are ready. Sometimes things are just too miserable for mama.

Lynann, Can you tell me by any chance what restrictions your midwife does have? I'm on the other coast of FL & hit 42 weeks tomorrow & it sounds like I get transfered at 42+2 because of "State Law" which of course I can't find the actual laws for.... and she's super strict about the 24 hour water breaking "rule" too.

I would LOVE to know what the "rules" are for you over there!

Thanks in advance!!!

Do you have a LM or a CNM, as that makes a huge difference here in Florida. I had a LM last time and had to transfer care to the hospital after my waters had been broken 24 hours, which eventually led to a c/s. This time I have a CNM and we talked about this in quite a bit of detail. CNM's have a lot less restrictions and she doesn't legally have to transfer care 24 hours after ROM, but can let me just continue to labor. I also asked her last week about time limits for postdates, and she said that she didn't have to transfer care.

Her protocol is that after 40 weeks I see her twice a week, then after 41 weeks I have to have a biophysical profile done to make sure baby is OK (can have it anytime that week before I reach the 42 weeks mark), then if I go past 42 weeks I have another biophysical profile done etc. She did say she has never had a Mama go to 43 weeks, so she has never had to deal with that, but as long as both Mama and baby are doing well according to the biophysicals then she is happy to continue waiting. I'll be 41 weeks exactly tomorrow and unless I have the baby before then I have an appointment with her at 3pm, so I guess we'll be discussing arranging for a biophysical profile for later on this week.

She's a CNM. I hit 42 weeks today & will be scheduling my first biophysical when they call, possibly today. We talked a lot about this in detail during my first appointment, but now she is saying 42+2 is the longest possible because "the law is the law" an her "hands are tied" which wasn't the case 7+ months ago.... **sigh** This is my first, but I was born at just over 44 weeks so this was something I KNEW to ask about!

Do you have a LM or a CNM, as that makes a huge difference here in Florida. I had a LM last time and had to transfer care to the hospital after my waters had been broken 24 hours, which eventually led to a c/s. This time I have a CNM and we talked about this in quite a bit of detail. CNM's have a lot less restrictions and she doesn't legally have to transfer care 24 hours after ROM, but can let me just continue to labor. I also asked her last week about time limits for postdates, and she said that she didn't have to transfer care.

Her protocol is that after 40 weeks I see her twice a week, then after 41 weeks I have to have a biophysical profile done to make sure baby is OK (can have it anytime that week before I reach the 42 weeks mark), then if I go past 42 weeks I have another biophysical profile done etc. She did say she has never had a Mama go to 43 weeks, so she has never had to deal with that, but as long as both Mama and baby are doing well according to the biophysicals then she is happy to continue waiting. I'll be 41 weeks exactly tomorrow and unless I have the baby before then I have an appointment with her at 3pm, so I guess we'll be discussing arranging for a biophysical profile for later on this week.

stpetemama, So sorry that your CNM has changed her tune. Since I'm HBACing I've been very clear with mine about needing to know transfer of care issues. If I transfer to the local hospital its an automatic RCS for me, so we really, really wanted to avoid that.

So I had more timeable contractions last night. Some were even lasting more than 1 min 30 sec, and less than 5 minutes apart. I used an online contraction timer for an hour to see what was actually happening and they were definitely getting longer, stronger and closer together. Then after 4 hours of contractions they stopped AGAIN! I'm getting crampy again this morning, and STILL loosing some kind of mucusy stuff. I'm no longer convinced its just mucus plug because there is no way it could have contained the amount of mucus I've lost since Saturday morning. I'll definitely be asking about it at my appointment this afternoon.

I'm definitely getting very impatient, but mostly because I keep loosing sleep at night to all this start/stop contracting. Its time for this baby to come out and show us if they are a boy or girl.

AGGGGHHHHHH. Still here, also! Lost a dime-size bit o' mucus yesterday, but that is it. Lots of baby activity and rectal pressure (sorry for all the TMI) today. Otherwise, nothing doing... My mw wants me to start biophysical profiles next week sometime -- she's fine with going by the new 9/5 due date, fortunately. But I'm so not digging the idea of going another almost two weeks here.

Emerging butterfly is still grumpily pregnant. Had contractions most of the night but I am still not in real labor and am feelin g impatient. Will have internet tomorrow so will be able to talk more.I want my b aby now!

Still here. I'm feeling really wiped out today. Drank some cumin tea in the hopes that it would do something yesterday, and it did make me crampy, but they faded. Boo! I'm 40w4d according to the "new" due date.

Had a good mw visit yesterday. We'll probably do a biophysical profile next Wed. (I'll be about 41w2d at that point) if nothing seems to be happening babywise, just to put everyone's mind at ease. She's still moving a ton in there and definitely getting bigger! At this rate she'll weigh a lot more than DS did. I don't doubt that I can birth a bigger baby, but I admit to being a bit intimidated. I just want to meet her. Come on, already! Of course, I have a haircut scheduled for today, so it would be great if I could start feeling yucky during that.

I'm still here too. 41w3d today. I've been trying to stay active and have been crampy, but that's about it. At least I was at 3 cm and 75% thinned on Wed., so things are slowly going in the right direction. Really hoping things get moving this weekend, maybe the full moon will help! Prob going to get acupuncture in the next few days. I get induced on Wed. (at 42w1d) if nothing happens before then and I'm really not looking forward to that....